A lighthouse in Vietnam Blog: By Jess Andrenelli

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“I leaned sidewise against the bar, which was on the same side of the room as the orchestra stand. I was turning a small glass of tequila around on the top of the bar… The bartender leaned beside me, on his side of the bar…”Do you like that stuff straight,” he said, “or should I smooth it out for you?” “Smooth it out with what?” I said. “You got a wood rasp handy?” He grinned. I drank a little more of the tequila and made a face. “Did somebody invent this stuff on purpose?”

From Finger Man by Raymond Chandler

First let me say I love Tequila, it’s a liquor steeped in history and each brand of Tequila is unique. In his poem Tequila: Panegyric and Emblem, Alvaro Mutis wrote: Tequila is a pallid flame that passes through walls and soars over tile roofs to allay despair. It is the pursuit of this pallid flame, of the crisp, clear fire it burns within us, that makes us lift the glass of tequila to our lips and to savour the rare fragrance it imparts. There are hundreds of flavours and aromas you can find in tequila, the 3 below are the most common.

Blanco: Agave nose and flavour should be foremost. Citrus, mint, spearmint, green beans, anise or licorice, freshly cut grass, freshly cut fruits like apple and pear. Peppery and sharp bite – the alcohol is more noticeable in the bite. Slightly oily finish. Should have the strongest vegetal or floral aromas and taste of all the types.Reposado: Agave still present, although muted. Hints of vanilla, almond, oak, honey, sweet melon, slightly sweet butterscotch or brown sugar. Not too woody. Alcohol is present but less pronounced. Finish is less oily, more silky. Some hint of earthiness is allowed.Añejo: Chocolate, caramel, stronger butterscotch, burnt honey, sweet potato (yam), vanilla. Sometimes tobacco or leather. Agave may be almost hidden. Alcohol is much less noticeable. Finish is long and silky smooth. Añejos can show off their complexities with pride, but the wood should not be overpowering.

Perhaps even more popular than the actual tequila is the worm crawling around the bottom of the bottle. But the worm, or gusano, actually originated with tequila’scousin, mezcal, largely as a marketing ploy. The gusano is the larvae of a type of moth that lives on the agave plant.

Tequila, whose origin lies in the Indian civilisations of ancient Mexico, is the one liquor that for me has an aura of magic and mystery. Tequila’s ancestor, Pulque, an alcoholic beverage made from the fermented sap of the maguey (agave) plant was first made by the Aztecs around 1200 BC, and was used by them as a ritual and ceremonial drink dedicated to the God Ometotchli.

The legend says Mayahuel, a farmers wife, was chasing rabbits from her agave fields, when she saw one dancing in circles and found the rabbit had been drinking the nectar from the heart of the agave. She and her husband discovered this nectar made people joyful, strong and fearless, and so Mayahuel was declared goddess of the agave, and was often pictured by Aztecs sitting in the middle of an agave, with a rabbit nearby. The transformation of Pulque into Tequila happened in the 1500s when the Spanish conquistadors ran out of brandy, they began to distill Pulque to make Mezcal wine which later evolved into what we now know as Tequila. Today Tequila is made only from the blue agave plant. Agave grows differently depending on the region. Blue agaves grown in the highlands Los Altos region are larger in size and sweeter in aroma and taste. Agaves harvested in the lowlands, on the other hand, have a more herbaceous fragrance and flavour.

Since opening in January 2016 Xupito has become the most hallowed Mexican & Tequila bar in the city. Locals and tourists alike flock to the sprawling cantina in old quarter’s Luong Ngoc Quyen Street, to munch on antojitos (tacos, quesadillas, and more), and to enjoy Mexican mariachi music. Of course, drinking tequila from the extensive list of producers—can only help for inspiration.

Xupito has a vast selection of world class tequila, such as Herradura Anejo, Highly-regarded by aficionados worldwide, this wonderful anejo has a beautiful pale gold colour, and a deliciously smooth, sophisticated palate. Silver 1800 Tequila, named after the year it was created, made from pure, 100% blue agave grown on family owned ranches and bottled in Jalisco, Mexico. Each bottle is double-distilled and matured in French and American oak barrels, then rested for 15 days in ex-American whiskey barrels prior to bottling. And Don Julio one of the most respected producers in Mexico is rich, distinctive and wonderfully complex, this is a Tequila to savour. Xupito has a great range of Tequilas each with their own distinctive notes and aromas. You can also try their amazing cocktails like the classic Margarita, Tequila Sunrise, El Dablo and many more… There is also a range of soft drinks, fresh fruit juices and a good selection of beer and wines.

Xupito has a blend of authentic and innovative Mexican food. All the dishes are cooked with fresh ingredients. Here are just a few dishes of appetisers and main courses from their extensive Mexican menu: Empanadas, Tostadas, Grilled chicken oven baked and marinated in Mexican spices, Gorditas, Potatoes Podupin, Mexican BBQ pork ribs, Smoked Buffalo, Tacos, Burritos, Chilli con Carne, Nachos, Quesadillas and so many more.

They also offer a range of salads from Tacos salad, Caesar salad, Greek salad and more, Tex Mex finger food, Club sandwiches, Steak sandwiches, Onion rings, Fried Chicken Wings, Fried Calamari all hot and spicy, but if you’re feeling like something not quite Mexican, they have a range of oven fired pizzas and a menu of Asian dishes like Pho Mai Day, stir fry rice with chicken beef or sea food and snacks like deep fried spring rolls or Bun Cha Hanoi and fresh Nem Chua.

Xupito’s brightly colored Mexican decor will transport you emotionally to the tequila region of Jalisco, this bar is inspired by old-school cantinas with a touch of hipster cool. The decor reflects the history of Tequila, with its mystical Mexican Indian art and the feel of a rustic Mexican cantina with it’s warmth and the party always in full swing.